New High End Whistle

Whistle
1

While out in the field doing my summer music studies, I came across a high-end whistle that I haven’t seen discussed here yet. It is being made by Wilson Woods, a maker of high end woodwinds like the McDonagh fifes and the Seaman piccolos. I had a chance to play one for a little while and was pretty impressed. The whistle looks A LOT like an Abell. I didn’t have an Abell handy for comparison, but the Wilson might be a little larger in diameter (thicker walls). The whistle is sterling fittings and slide on African blackwood. Fit and finish are perfect. The inside bore is practically reflective, it’s so well finished. This whistle is beautiful. It’s an easy player - clean octave jumps, low air requirements. I didn’t play it long enough to know about clogging. Also, I had no tuner handy, but it sounded very well in tune with itself. It had a very nice warm, sweet tone; a very clean sounding whistle. Maybe a little on the quiet side. I usually prefer a metal whistle - something with a little more bite and a little dirtier sound, but this should definitely appeal to the wood lovers. I believe the price was $250.

In all, if you were considering an Abell, you can save $50 and whatever waiting time Chris has now by getting a Wilson. They aren’t on the web site yet, but I know that this outfit has them for sale. You’ll have to e-mail them and confirm price and details:

http://fifeanddrum.com/

As usual, I have no commercial interest in this product or in either of the companies mentioned. I need to get some commercial interests in something. All I do is pass on the news and spend my own money.

2

I went to the site you posted and looked at the fifes. Hmmm…what’s a fife like? Is it the same fingering as a whistle? Is it much like playing a flute? I used to play a flute when I was a kid…

What would a good fife be for a beginner?

Kim

3

A fife is a member of the flute family. It is generally smaller than a flute but larger than a piccolo. The usual key is B flat, but you see A and C fifes, and occasionally a D. The fingering is the same as the whistle for the first and second octaves, but the first octave is rarely used. The fife is usually played in the second and third octaves. Third octave fingering is different. The fife is a very loud instrument when played correctly. Its original purpose was outdoor (specifically, battlefield) use. It requires a tighter, more focussed embouchure than the flute, and a more powerful stream of air.

A good fife for a beginner can be had for $6. It is made from plastic. I wouldn’t recommend any other fife to a student. There is no fife better than this for less than $75 or $80. Here’s a link to the maker:

http://www.cooperman.com/traditionalfifes.htm

E-mail me with any other questions. Or search the forums (there’s more fife stuff on the flute forum). I’m working on a web site, but I’ve been too busy actually playing music the last couple of months to get the site up.